title: Relationship between red cell distribution width and stroke in patients with stable chronic heart failure: a propensity score matching analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate the association between baseline red cell distribution width (RDW) level and the risk of stroke in patients with heart failure (HF).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 153 consecutive patients with HF (New York Heart Association [NYHA] I-III and left ventricular ejection fraction of <40%) were included in this prospective study. All the patients were followed up for 1 year, and during this period the cerebrovascular disease was questioned.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In matched population, using propensity score matching comparing patients with HF having stroke with patients without stroke, we found significantly increased basal RDW and serum uric acid. The receiver-operating characteristic curves of RDW for predicting stroke are performed. An RDW ≥ 15.2% measured on admission had 87% sensitivity and 74% specificity in predicting stroke in patients with HF (area under the curve: 0.923, 95% confidence interval: 0.852-0.994, P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, this study demonstrated that RDW may be important hematological indices for stroke in patients with HF using propensity score analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ordu University Medical School, Ordu, Turkey doktorahmetkaya@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erzurum Education and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Turgay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ordu University Medical School, Ordu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Ordu University Medical School, Ordu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Enginyurt
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ordu University Medical School, Ordu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeki Yuksel
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Gunaydin
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Ministry of Health-Ordu University Education and Research Hospital, Ordu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat Dogan
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Iscanli
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erzurum Education and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.affiliation: Ataturk University Medical School Department of Cardiology, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ibrahim Halil
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Tanboga
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D057216:Propensity Score; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000196:embryology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013318:Stroke Volume
keywords: heart failure; red cell distribution width; stroke